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View Full Version : Opinions on Nudibranchs??


Aquarius Lady
10/27/2003, 02:05 PM
I have heard varying ideas about nudibranchs for a mini reef. The two I am interested in are......
Velvet Sea Slug and/or the
Lettuce Sea Slug?
I am hesitant to put any kind of Starfish into my minireef, as I have many hermits and wish to have various SMALL, small, docile reef fish (neon Goby, Small blenny, etc) my LFS said that starfish and tiny reef fish don't mix. Since my tank is small, I hesitate to put in a Sand sifter star if he is going to disrupt my Live rock (or break loose the foundation- Maybe he won't I have NO idea how 'strong' and pushy these guys are.) I also currently have a small horseshoe crab and several cerith snails (and Bumblebee snails) for sand sifting.
Would a Sea slug be Ok in a mini reef, and if so just how likely ARE they to die and become toxic? (has any of this happened to anyone?)
Also what are your opinions on CONCH'S??? Yea or Nay in a small reef? (or any reef)?
Thanks in advance.

ReefSC
10/27/2003, 03:21 PM
Your tank is really small for any of these creatures especially a conch wich needs120 or larger. try a serpent star should be safe.
put one in my 10yr. old sisters 6g tank about a year ago and it is still kicking. It is just a scavanger unlike the sand sifters which eat benaficial creatures in your sand bed.

oceanarus
10/27/2003, 06:17 PM
I have a friend that had a nudi in a 12 gal reef. Don't know which kind it was, but.... In the course of about 12 hours everything in the tank died, a GSM several corals, all the snails, funny thing is none of the crabs died (hermit, emerald and even a porcelin). He never found the body of the nudibranch so we guessed that it died and took the rest of the tank with it. Have no proof of it, but that was the only thing we could figure. I think the big thing is that people don't know enough about nudi's to know whether they will kill off your whole tank if they die (if not munching on something they shouldn't) to even risk it.

Aquarius Lady
10/27/2003, 06:20 PM
Thanks Reef SC and Oceanarus:
I think for now, I will just "skip" on the Nudi's and definately not a conch, I saw how big Abalones got and nope, to big for my tanks too.... Guess that means I need to get a new bigger tank, huh?
;)

Troy182
10/27/2003, 07:24 PM
I have had them some are cool, some are not cool:mad2: unless you are gonna keep them in a really small tank your not gonna see them much. and you have to be careful some of the brightly colored ones are poisonous to your fish. Some people use them as aptasia control but most either do not get enough nutrition and die or never take hold and die or are never seen again and I am assuming eventually die. If it where me I wouldn't bother. But If it is interesting for you create a tank around a pre determined species and beat the odds. This hobby is great and you don't have to like what I keep and I don't have to like what you keep and just cause someone elses experience was bad or good doesn't mean that will be our experience. This is a great hobby and the challange is part of that :D

minfinger
10/27/2003, 09:24 PM
The trouble with Nudi's dying in small tanks is the chemicals that they realease. As a natural defense most sea slugs use a chemical spray to warn off preditors. So on top of the decaying body, it releases all sorts of internal chemicals. So in a small tank, there's less chance of the natural bio-filtration eating up the chemicals. If 1 died in a 180G tank, you'd never know it, most likely. In a 30G tank, you'd notice it to some degree...In a 12G...well we have a good example of that ;)

Troy...The challenge is half the $$$, I mean fun. :D

Jackie, as far as the sand sifting creatures, the Brittle start may be fine, but I'd looking to getting some mini brittles starts, they're quite interesting. You put them in the tank and you don't see them for a while, next thing you know, these little arms are reaching out of the rock :D Also, there's a sand sift snail that Tideline gets sometimes..They're orange and white shells, kind of long too. really neat to watch. You need a healthy pod population though, of course it never hurts to have to many pods.

skipm
10/27/2003, 09:29 PM
One of the biggest obstacles that I see with trying to keep a nudi or bigger snails, starfish, etc. is that you do not have a very big tank for them to feed. I think that most nudis eat only one specific item and when that item is exhausted they die. The same thing for a sandsifting starfish, it would deplete the fauna out of your sandbed and the die of starvation. If you want to get something to keep your sandbed stirred up more I highly recommend nassarious snails (these little guys a very hard workers). I have had a couple of nudis in the past and they seem to just disappear into the tank never to be seen again, luckily I have a large enough system that I had no losses other than the nudis. Good luck, Skip

Aquarius Lady
10/27/2003, 09:37 PM
Thanks everyone-
Yeah, I have decided to NOT go with any Nudi's to me it just isn't worth it after hearing some of teh horror stories of them. They are gorgeous though aren't they? Right now I have tons of amphipods and copepods, and a healthy pop. of Cerith, & Turbo snails, as well as about 10-12 various hermits (blue tip, red legged, & Zebra) I also have a Horseshoe which I have a feeling in time, I may end up trading him to someone or giving him a good home as he will probably outgrow my little 16gal Bowfront.
I appreciate all the advice, I KNEW there was a reason I wanted to join this club (haha!) :D

minfinger
10/27/2003, 09:39 PM
Ugh..I forgot about the Nassarious snails...Good point Skip..